Buttercream frosting topped with shredded coconut gives this homemade Easter bunny cake its fur, while tinted buttercream creates the insides of the ears and eyes. Serve for a show-stopping addition to any family-friendly dessert table.
Ingredients
-
Nonstick cooking spray with flour
-
1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
-
1 ½ cups cake flour (not self-rising)
-
1 tablespoon baking powder
-
½ teaspoon salt
-
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
-
1 ¾ cups sugar
-
4 large eggs
-
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
-
1 ¼ cups milk
-
2 recipes Basic Vanilla Buttercream
-
Pink gel-paste food coloring
-
¼ cup sweetened shredded coconut
-
½ cup unsweetened shredded desiccated coconut
Directions
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-cup bunny-shaped baking pan with cooking spray; set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
-
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour.
-
Fill prepared pans with batter and smooth with an offset spatula. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until cake is golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. Invert cakes onto rack; let cool completely.
-
Using 1/4 to 1/2 cup buttercream, spread on flat side of each bunny-shaped cake; press flat sides together to adhere. Transfer 1 1/2 cups buttercream to a medium bowl and add enough pink gel food coloring to reach desired shade of pink. Fit a pastry bag with a star tip, such as Ateco #18. Pipe pink buttercream to form ears, eyes, and nose.
-
Transfer remaining buttercream to a clean pastry bag fitted with a star tip, such as Ateco #18. Pipe buttercream over bunny-shaped cake to cover. Press shredded sweetened coconut onto tail to adhere. Sprinkle bunny with finely shredded coconut; serve.